Christmas 2019

Jeremiah 17:10 "I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings."

Dallas Willard (d.2013) comments on, "One of the major reasons why a specific word from God may not be forthcoming to us in a particular case is that, in general, it is God's will that we ourselves should have a great part in determining our path through life. This does not mean that God is not with us. Far from it. God develops and, for our good, tests our character by letting us decide. He calls us to responsible citizenship in His kingdom by saying as often as possible, "My will for you in this case is that you decide on your own." That robust and powerful saying, "I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me!" (Galatians 2:20) shows that the individual human personality is not obliterated, but rather it is given its fullest expression. In most cases God does not run over us."

Surely God respects you and your will to choose and decide how you will live. Joshua responds for me, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!"

I read the following prayer in the Christmas Eve worship folder from Christ Church of Oak Brook IL.

"Enable us, Lord, to reach the end of this luminous season in peace, forsaking all idle words, acting virtuously, shunning our passions, and raising ourselves above the things of this world. Bless Your church, which You brought into being long ago and attached to Yourself through Your own life-giving blood. Bless Your servants, whose trust is all in you; bless all Christian souls, the sick, those tormented by evil spirits, and those who have asked us to pray for them. Show Yourself as merciful as You are rich in grace; save and preserve us; enable us to obtain those good things to come which will never know an end. May we celebrate Your glorious birth, and the Father who sent you to redeem us, and your Spirit, the Giver of life, now and forever, age after age. Amen." (from a Syrian Christmas liturgy, late third or early fourth century) [check out the dating, amazing]

Here is another 4th century quote from St. Gregory (and you may have to read it a number of times to get the meaning)

"The very Son of God, older than the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father; he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like."

How about this for encouraging your life and being: "You're a perfect example of exactly what you are!" (from the novel "Just After Midnight" by Catherine Ryan Hyde)

So what was your favorite Christmas song this year?

Cora, our youngest granddaughter is learning to read and doing a pretty good job of it for a six year old. She was reading the following and I thought she was reading about Mary and baby Jesus but in actuality was reading about mothers in general. Here are the words: "A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him she sang; I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

I thought about Mary at the foot of the cross of Jesus and singing those words to her first born son. I think about those words on the lips of all you mothers and your children of all ages.

Here is the Christmas Day prayer from "A Prayer for Every Day": "Lord Jesus Christ, my dear Savior, this is your birthday. Let me honor and praise you. Show me how I have to appear before you. Grant me the spirit of reverence so that I may see the secret of your glory. Let today be a feast day for my soul. Amen."

"The Gift That I Can Give" was the title of the book we gave to Cora for Christmas this year. The gift is love. May you know this gift in your life and may you give it away in your own way day by day!